As a community project, Newburgh Free Academy teacher Senol Yakup and students in his auto body class have spent the fall painting a military surplus Humvee for the New Windsor Police Department.

As a community project, Newburgh Free Academy teacher Senol Yakup and students in his auto body class have spent the fall painting a military surplus Humvee for the New Windsor Police Department.

Town police Chief Michael Biasotti said the Humvee will be a valuable tool during flooding situations, like those the area has experienced the past few years.

"The exceptional ground clearance will allow us to enter flooded neighborhoods that have been inaccessible to us in the past," Biasotti said.

Biasotti, himself an NFA alumnus, said the project gives the students a chance to have a direct impact on the welfare of their community.

The Humvee is one of three military vehicles Biasotti obtained while he was assigned to the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C. The others are another Humvee and a 6.5-ton truck, which Biasotti hopes will be future projects for Yakup's students.

Michael Randall

The City of Newburgh is having three public hearings Tuesday on its proposed 2014 proposed budget, a local law increasing parking fines and its spending plan for Community Development Block Grant money.

The proposed budget calls for roughly $45 million in spending and no increases in property taxes, and includes money for three new police officers. Under the parking proposal, the fine for a meter violation would rise to $20 from $15 and fines for other parking violations would increase. The hearing focuses on the city's $767,000 spending plan.

The hearings starts at 7 p.m. in the City Council chambers at City Hall.

Leonard Sparks

We've heard this story — er, scam — before, but it seems to be making the rounds again, so we figure it's worth another warning.

This time, it's Saugerties police who are warning residents of a scam targeting the elderly, to which several residents have fallen victim.

Police said the caller identifies himself as a lawyer who has been contacted by a relative of the person being called. The relative is traveling abroad, is in serious trouble and requires money for legal services.

The alleged lawyer then instructs the person to wire money to the lawyer's office so legal assistance can be given to the relative overseas. They also are told not to tell anyone what they're doing because it might cause harm to come to their loved one.

Police said several residents complied with the request to wire money, only to learn afterward their relative — although indeed out of the country — did not need money for any legal difficulties.

Police advise everyone to be suspicious of such a request, and to call local police if a scammer contacts them. Police also said law enforcement worldwide works together and should be able to determine if someone abroad really is in trouble.